Sinful Promises
by Annie Oakley
Summary: Theives, mercenaries, assassins, murderers, they've all been Chosen before, no questions asked. But what about a whore? On Hiatus.
1. Default Chapter

**Sinful Promises**

**Disclaimer**: I own none of the stuff that Merecedes Lackey owns. But I do own Maire and Madame Louisa and the girls and the tavern... and other things that are to come later but would spoil the plotline!

**Chapter 1**

Her room was a flurry of arms and legs, heavy breathing and lusty sighs. Strange to think that it was only the one man with her that night, and yet it felt like more.

" Oh, Maire." Leo sighed, stroking her hair softly as he slid off her, wrapping his other arm around her waist and pulling her close. " You're wonderful."

Maire patted his shoulder, unaccustomed to such closeness. It wasn't what he paid her for, was it? " Ye say that every time ye visit me, Leo me boy." She said, sitting up and pushing back her now tangled hair. " But 'tis time you left. Me shift is over. Ye were the last one tonight."

" You never let me spend the night, Maire." Leo sighed, but complied and started finding his clothes. " Sometimes makes me wonder what it is you feel for me."

Maire kept herself quiet until after he left, and then she resigned herself, turning the marker outside her room from the red side to the blue, signalling that she was done for the night. She closed her door and settled herself back into bed. Leo was the kind of man that confused what she did for him for love. He'd offered her the world, if she would only come away with him, and she could tell that he was serious, but she was still contracted to Madame Louisa for another year, at least. It was going to take that long to get her debts taken care of, that she knew.

" Such a world for a bairn so young." She whispered to herself, echoing the words that had come out of the mouth of one of her very first men, after she had told him how old she was.

That had been a year ago, when she had freshly turned sixteen. Madame Louisa had her cleaning rooms and bussing tables downstairs in the common room, but as soon as she had turned sixteen, it was upstairs with the men for her. It paid much better, true, and she got to chose her men as the rest of the girls did, but it lacked in a certain area. At least bussing the tables and flirting to whet the mens appetites had some kind of respectable aura around it. Here, she was just another girl for them to moan and pant over. She was a common whore.

" I know that look." Said a cheerful voice off to her right, and she saw Darcie's head poking out of the door that joined their rooms. " You're thinking bad thoughts again, my poppet."

Maire smiled smally and made room on her bed for Darcie to sit down on, covering herself with the blankets. Darcie was a strange girl, eccentric to say the least. She only took tall, dark haired, blue eyed men. Which meant she had more free time than any of the girls and it showed. She was a tiny, delicate looking blond thing, with blue eyes that took up most of her face and thin lips that smiled more often than not; even when there was nothing to smile at.

" Been thinkin' bad thoughts all day long, Darcie." Maire said, trying to tame her black mass of hair into something resembling a braid. " 'Tis how it is when Leo comes to me in such a black mood."

Darcie tutted, a condescending look on her face. " I don't think it's very safe for you to keep taking his money, poppet. He's got more issues about love than he does fingers."

Maire nodded. " Aye, you've got me there, that you do." She sighed. " He's me best customer, though, and I'm afeared of what he would do if I stopped seeing him."

" Would it truly matter?" Darcie asked, looking at her sideways. " I mean, really Maire, would it matter if he did something drastic because you turned his money away?"

Maire had to think about that for a moment. " Ye know, I dinna think that it would, not at all." She smiled. " Thank ye, Darcie-love." She leaned over and hugged Darcie, laying her head on Darcie's shoulder. " So, did the handsome one stop by again?"

The handsome one, as Darcie referred to him, fit Darcie's bill perfectly. Tall, thin like a bird but apparently as strong as a bull, sky blue eyes and night black hair, that he was. Maire had seen him a few times, coming and leaving, and she had agreed with the rest of the girls that she wouldn't mind if he frequented her room a few nights. But he was considered one of Darcie's regulars, and no one touched those. Not if they wanted to keep their place in the house. Darcie was Madame Louisa's neice.

Darcie giggled. " Oh aye, he did." She put her hand over her mouth and her blue eyes lit up. " Made me squeal a fair bit, certainly turned the tables on me this time." She leaned in close, though there was no one else around to hear. " I was on bottom, Maire!"

Maire giggled as well, sucking in breath to keep her voice down. " Must have been a surprise for ye, Darcie!" Darcie may have looked small and innocent, but in her room she was anything but. She only let the best of her men take over the bedroom activities.

" Rolled me like a Fair hog, that one did!" Darcie fell over onto her side, her fingers stuffed in her mouth to keep from laughing too hard. " I can't wait 'til he comes back again."

" Why isn't he coming back tomorrow night?"

" He's got to go on a circuit, or so he says. Won't be back for a month at least." Darcie pouted, her teeth nibbling at the edges of her nails. " I'll miss him dearly."

Maire stopped for a moment. She'd heard of these circuit things when she had bussed downstairs. She gripped Darcie's hands, staring widely.

" Darcie, ye've got a Herald on yer hands!" Maire said, hushed.

Darcie stared at her, a distant look in her eyes. " Really? Oooh! No wonder his legs are so strong!" She got up from the bed and kissed Maire on the forehead, pushing her back down to the bed and tucking the covers around her naked body. " You get a good night's sleep, poppet. And when Leo comes back tomorrow night, you know what to do."

" Aye, I do." Maire turned onto her side as Darcie blew out her lantern, leaving her room in darkness and leaving to her own.

Maire knew better to think Darcie addled. She was just strange, the addled front a way of keeping her emotionless in the face of all the would-be lovers and husbands. Maire did it, Darcie did it, all the girls did it, to keep their jobs. The most dangerous thing you could do was fall in love with one of you men. Maire had managed to keep herself from that fate so far, but damned be Leo and his offers of the stars and the moon!

She brushed all thoughts from her head, of Leo and the things she had to do tomorrow, and fell into inky dark sleep.

A/N: Yes, this is set from before Kris died, because I hate writing fics that don't have him in them. He's just so awesome. And there won't be much Heraldic involvement until the fourth chapter, but don't worry, there'll be much chagrin and other inticing things to read until then!


	2. 2

**Sinful Promises**

**Disclaimer**: I own none of the stuff that Merecedes Lackey owns. But I do own Maire and Madame Louisa and the girls and the tavern... and other things that are to come later but would spoil the plotline!

**Chapter 2**

" Madame Louisa?" Maire asked, peeking into the vernerable woman's offices.

" Yes, Maire, dear?" Madame Louisa stood up from her desk, looking like an older copy of Darcie, only taller and wider in the shoulders.

" Darcie and I wanted to go to the market today, to see if there was any new merchants and jewel-smiths." Maire ducked her head coyly, as they were often the scouts for such tasks as this. " I got word from Leo last night that a wagon train stopped in last night for reprovisions."

Madame Louisa smiled, nodding. " Take all afternoon, if you wish. I've got a meeting and I'd rather no one interrupt me. Spread the word to the other girls, as well."

Maire nodded and closed the door again, nodding at Darcie and Melana and Tourmaline. " We're in the clear."

Tourmaline sighed, shaking her red haired head. " Honestly, Maire, I never figure out how she doesn't smell your lies. She always sees right through mine." Her amber eyes shone with envy.

" One, I'm more believeable than you are." Maire joked. " And two, ye get this wrinkle in the middle of yer forehead every time you start fibbing. 'Tis easy to pick up on."

They laughed and Melana shooed them out past the common room to the open air outside. Maire sighed and took in a deep breath, smelling last night's rain on the wind. It was days like this, in the early spring, that she wanted to just sit outside all day long and smell the breeze to see what images it would conjure up in her head.

Melana and Tourmaline were two of the older girls, in their mid-twenties at least. Tourmaline looked it, as she'd had a hard working life before she had found respite in Madame Louisa's house, but Melana was a run away noble daughter, preserved in all her apparent innocence. The two were best friends, as different as day and night, but then again, the same thing could be said about her and Darcie.

" So, should we get breakfast at the Rampant Gryphon first or wait until afterwards?" Melana asked, fingering the small pouch her of her gold royals, her allowance from her family.

" I'm not feeling particularly hungry right now." Darcie said, her eyes sharply scanning the crowd, but for what, none of them knew. " I say afterwards, when our feet are weary and our stomachs cry out for rest and food."

" Almost poetic, Darcie." Maire said dryly, having heard some of her so called drivel.

" But it does sound like a good idea. We can always pick up something small on the way there, if we feel we must."

" Thank you, Maire." Melana smiled appreciatively, and they set off on thier way to the market.

" Maire, look, there's Leo!" Darcie whispered. " Wait, no, don't look!"

But it was too late, Maire had already looked. Leo was standing at one of the jewelers stands, tall and shining in the sun, as he always was. It was a familiar sight to see him smiling jovially, but the woman with him was not. Maire's hands clenched into fists and she stiffened her back, leaning over a bit to possibly hear what they were saying.

" Darling, it is too much, I could not possibly accept it." The woman said, but looked in the polished bronze plate as Leo held the necklace of gold and rubies to her neck.

" I'll show her too much." Maire said, starting forwards.

" Maire-" Melana started to catch her, but Tourmaline held her back.

" I know for sure that Leo told Madame Louisa that he was unmarried, and his heart was set on Maire." She said, a fire burning in her own eyes. " Let us see if this is what it seems, and then we shall move in."

Maire strolled up to the stand, pretending to have an eye for a sapphire and silver set of earrings, though she didn't have peirced ears. " How much is this set, m'lord?" She asked huskily, turning towards Leo, and then pretend shock registered on her face. " Leo, 'tis you!" She threw her arms around him.

Leo had a look of his own real shock and horror on his face, trying to act calm with Maire wrapped around him. Finally he got her away from him, though there was no amount of space that could have hid the look of utmost adoration and worship on her face.

" I missed ye dearly, this morning. Woke up and ye were gone." She shook her head.

" I keep telling ye that ye are more than welcome to spend the night, darling."

" Maire, I-uh-I-" Leo stammered, and the woman behind him pushed him aside, taking in the veiw of Maire, who was simpering and sighing at Leo.

" Who is this, Leo?" She asked coldly, her aquamarine eyes darting over Maire.

" Oh, are ye one of Leo's cousins?" Maire gushed. " Which one are ye? Ye've got the look of Amarie, the tall one who married the farmer last spring. But I could also be mistaking ye for Lara, though why ye'd be in Valdemar instead of Rethwellan, I've not a clue!" She laughed, latching onto Leo's arm.

" You must have me mistaken for someone else, dear." The look on the woman's face could have frozen a firestorm. " I'm Leo's wife, the Lady Roshya VanHorne."

Maire stopped for a moment, thinking if it was a name that she knew, but it wasn't. She spared a glance in Leo's direction. " Oh, so ye're the lovely one he runs off to after he's done seeing me. I must say, I don't blame him." Now there were daggers in Maire's voice, and Roshya looked like she didn't know what to do first, be offended at the fact that her husband had been seeing a brothel girl, or be offended that said brother girl had just propostioned her.

" Leo, we should leave." Roshya said, grabbing his arm. " Now."

Maire gave them a little wave as Roshya stiffly led Leo away. She returned to her girls, a tired look on her face. Darcie pulled her into a hug, stroking the length of her braid.

" My poor poppet, I'm so sorry." She said, kissing her cheek.

Maire laughed sharply. " Don't be, I'm fine." She brushed her lips against Darcie's cheek and accepted hugs from the rest of the girls. " I always did wonder how in the name of hell he could afford to come to me every night."

" On his wife's coffers, so it seems." Tourmaline said stiffly, as she didn't hold well with the men that visted the house to get away from their wives.

" Dears, such long faces." Melana said, turning them all away from the jewel stand and to a rich cloth merchant. " Come, let us focus on something more tasteful."

Maire agreed with her, as she had just seen a tasty peice of work across the way. Too dark to be Valdemaran, too shabbily dressed to be Shin'a'in. The bright green sash wrapped around his waist marked him for outlander, and the rakish grin he flashed in her direction told her 'traveler with some more coin to spend.'

" The one with the long black hair and jaunty chin?" Darcie asked out of the corner of her mouth, concentrating on a bolt of scarlett satin.

" Aye. Very much to me likin'." Maire said.

" Aww, I was going to head for him." Tourmaline said, but then smiled at Maire. " But seeing as the horrible ordeal you just went through, I'd say you're more than entitled to your first pick of the day. Go get him, girl."

Maire straightened her hair, pulled down her bodice a little and took a deep breath, sauntering on over to the rakish man who was looking at the vests.


	3. 3

**Sinful Promises**

**Disclaimer**: I own none of the stuff that Merecedes Lackey owns. But I do own Maire and Madame Louisa and the girls and the tavern... and other things that are to come later but would spoil the plotline!

**Chapter 3**

Maire didn't sidle up to this one, no, she put a soft look in her eyes and a pretty smile on her lips. She pushed aside the brown vest he had been fingering.

" Tut, sir, brown would fade into yer skin and make ye look like ye were a strange topless circus freak." She said, and picked out a verdant green one, with black embroidery at the hem and neck. " This would be more to yer advantage."

He arched a fine black eyebrow and smiled, revealing very white teeth in such a tanned face. " Oh really, miss?"

" Really." She purred, turning to face him. " Are ye with the caravan that's passing through or are ye planning on staying for a small while?"

" I'm with the caravan, pretty one," The glint in his eyes let her know that he had caught onto what she was. " But we are staying for more than one day. Some of the children have come down with a flu of the stomach and we must rest here until they are well again."

" Lucky for ye, then, isn't it?" She slid her hand over his arm, wondering why his skin was so warm when he was in so little, but it was pleasing. She would not have a cold night tonight.

" Aye, it is."

" My name is Maire." She pronounced it how it was meant to be, " Moy-ah." Her mother had been one for pronunciations that were much different than the spelling.

" Galen." He said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it, his eyes strangely riveted on her.

" Well Galen, do ye have something that will be occupying the rest of yer afternoon or shall we-" She stopped, seeing a beautiful white vision. " Oh dear."

" What? Is there something wrong?" He turned around, as if expecting to see another man or a theif or something dangerous, but all he saw was the Companion.

It happened so quickly, Galen said something under his breath and then was by the Companion's side, stroking her delicate neck. Maire didn't know what to do. She didn't want to break the spell that had been seemingly cast over Galen by the Companion, it seemed wrong almost.

" Maire, I'm sorry." He said to her, breaking the spell instead. " I've got to go."

Maire nodded, smiling sadly, because she really was sad, but happy for him. " I know."

" Thank you for understanding." He got on the Companion and they trotted away, bells ringing in her ears still long after he was gone.

" Maire, I think it is time we went to a different part of the market." Tourmaline took her by the arm and led her away, even though she still glanced back at the stall every once in a while.

" It's always about those thrice damned Heralds!" Maire raged that night, having gotten no customers. The beginning of the week was always slow. " First yer Kris gets to go out on circuit, and then my Galen gets Chosen right under me nose!"

" Maire, love, it's not always their faults." Darcie said, trying to pull her down to sit on the couch, as they were in the common room.

" It is always their faults, Darcie!" Lily said, standing up. " Heralds always caught me at my game when I was down at Little Pudding trying to get the catch and run for my dinner."

Lily had been a theif before she had come to Madame Louisa. Luckily for Lily, she only bussed tables. Lily didn't like men, and Madame Louisa's didn't cater to women.

" Aye, and it's only a matter of time before they come down on my head as well." Madame Louisa came through the door, looking more tired than Maire had ever seen her.

" Aunt Louisa, what's wrong?" Darcie asked, becoming sharp and eager.

" That meeting I had yesterday while you girls were out, it wasn't what I expected." Madame Louisa sat down on a chair that one of the girls ran and got, and they all sat with her, either at her feet or on chairs and couches around her. " Apparently rules have changed."

" What kinda rules?" Maire asked. She wasn't much one for rules, never had been.

" Rules on how I run my business." Madame Louisa sighed. " Apparently the Guild is having some trouble with the fact that I'm taking you girls in and raising and feeding and clothing you."

" And schooling us." Darcie said. Madame Louisa was a retired schoolteacher, and had decreed that her girls would know how to read and write and do sums, so they knew that thier men weren't cheating them out of their money.

" Why are they havin' a problem?" Maire asked, leaning against Darcie on the floor.

" Because we're competition for them. Instead of men going to church in the evenings for mass, they've been coming down to this end of town." Madme Louisa smiled. " But luckily it's not just me being hit. The Golden Flossy and Black Hart are being looked at as well."

Maire laughed. " If Flossy is bein' looked at, then we're surely in the clear. One look at what they have in the back rooms and the Heralds'll be falling over themselves to 'save' those poor boys."

The Golden Flossy was a place that catered to men, and only men. Preferably men who liked other men, but they also plied their trade in young boys as well, all over the age of sixteen. That was a rule they all followed, no matter what house you went to. You touched anything under the age of sixteen and you'd be barred from all the houses down on this end.

" As that may be, we're still being looked at." Madame Louisa sighed. " Seems that the Herald that's been seeing Darcie has recommended our services to some at the Palace, mostly tired Guardsmen, but somehow the nobles got wind of it."

There was silence for a moment, as they all contemplated what that would mean. But then Darcie spoke up.

" Is Kris not allowed to see me anymore, then?" She asked with the look of a sad child.

" We'll talk about that later, Darcie." Madame Louisa straightened her back. " But this is what's going to happen now. We'll go about our business, as usual. But there needs to be some changes. If you aren't doing anything upstairs, then you're down in the common room bussing the tables. No more men spending the nights, and no more than three men in a night, so be picky about who you chose."

Maire silently rejoiced inside. Those were more like the kind of guidelines she could deal with, most defenitly. Not that she had any more than three men a night, but she had always felt like she was being pressured into getting more than that. And she hated staying up in her room all night long. Now she could take breaks and lounge about and mingle like she used to.

Madame Louisa dismissed them all, going back into her office. Maire laid back on the couch, sighing to herself. She almost wished that this would have happened earlier in the year, especially when she had first started upstairs. But it was happening now, which was just as good.

" Maire, you ever wonder what happened to that Galen fellow?" Tourmaline asked, sitting on the floor with Lily.

" He got Chosen, I know that, I was there for it. I suppose he's at the Collegium now, bein' trained for bein' a Herald. I'll never see him again, that's for sure." Maire said, playing with a braid in her hair.

" Is that what you want?" Asked a soft voice from the doorway, and Maire sat up, looking at the door.

Galen stood there in a set of fine Greys, the outfit for the baby Heralds. Somehow the lighter color seemed to intensify his dark eyes and skin, and his hair was pulled back into a tight tail, so that you noticed his face now, all the planes and angles to it.

" I thought ye'd gotten Chosen." Maire said slowly.

Galen nodded.

" Then what're ye doin' here?" She stood up, straightening out her blue dress and smoothing down her bodice.

" Repaying the favor." Galen strode towards her, catching her around the waist. " If I hadn't seen you standing there and wishing you would come over to me, then Raya never would have gotten to me in time."

" Oh, that's nice." Maire said, wanting to melt into his arms, but resisting.

" Are you free tonight?" He asked, and Maire heard Tourmaline laugh.

" I suppose I am." She looked at him shrewdly. " Ye're a traveling man, Galen. Ye couldn't possibly afford my affections."

It was meant to be mean, to make him let go of her, but he laughed. " I didn't mean for any carnal affections. I want to take you out for a night, perhaps to the Collegium for a private meal?"

Maire stared at him in shock. " Ye'd take a whore to the Collegium, just for thanks?!" She pushed him away. " Ye're out of yer mind, Galen."

" You'd get to see me get the living daylights beat out of me by our Weaponsmaster." he winked, and Maire's angry resolve melted.

" Ye've got a done deal." She said. " Let me go up to my room and dress in something more appropriate. Just because I am a whore doesn't mean I have to advertise." ' At least not under the nose of the nobles.' She thought, leaving him with Tourmaline, Lily, Melana, and Darcie.

She came downstairs a candlemark later, and as Galen hadn't sent anyone up to get her, they weren't on a very tight time schedule. She had dressed in the most conservative outfit she had, a short tunic that ended at mid-thigh and was a rich midnight blue, with long sleeves that were tight to her arms and had silver embroidery at the hem and neck of some kind of a bird. The pants were black, loose so that they could be tucked into the tops of boots, which she had. The outfit and the boots had been her last birthday present from Melana, who had it specially made for her. Just one of the perks of working with a noble.

She'd wound her hair into a braid and then coiled that ontop of her head like a crown, anchoring it there with bone hair picks. The tunic had a high neck and long sleeves, which meant she was wearing no jewelry but for the simple silver ring on her left hand, the only reminder of her mother.

Galen whistled as she came back downstairs. " You sure do clean up nice, Maire." He said, bowing over her hand as he kissed it.

" I wasn't always a whore." She reminded him, and followed him outside to where his Companion was waiting.

" Maire, this is Raya." Galen introduced them like they were both human, and Maire bowed anyway.

" She's a beauty, Galen." Maire said, because Companions really were beautiful. And then she laughed. " Her tack matches me."

Galen blushed. " It was a present from my father, to match Raya." He helped her up, and then sat behind her and grabbed the reins. " You two complement each other."

Maire smiled as she looked at the blue tooled reins and saddle. " Mayhaps yer Raya may decided I'm prettier than ye and run off with me."

Galen laughed. " Don't be putting ideas in her head, now. She says that sounds like a good idea, if I don't start shaping up here soon." He started them off down the lane.

" Ye aren't a good student?" Maire asked as they started picking up speed.

" I'm a fine enough student. I'm just restless. I'm not used to staying in one place for too long, and I'm antsy to be off again. But I have to stay here." His breath tickled her ear.

" Maybe it won't be that bad." Maire murmured, and then Raya broke into a breathtaking run, and they did not speak after that.

A/N: Maire's upbringing and background will be talked about later, so don't worry, I shan't leave that a mystery, too much. And yes, she'll be meeting Alberich and Talia and Dirk.... Fun will ensue. Or I will beat the plotbunnies that planted this idea in my head.


	4. 4

**Sinful Promises**

**Disclaimer**: I own none of the stuff that Merecedes Lackey owns. But I do own Maire and Madame Louisa and the girls and the tavern... and other things that are to come later but would spoil the plotline!

**Chapter 4**

Maire slid off Raya quickly, her feet hitting the ground lightly. She ran to Raya's neck, throwing her arms around her and hugging the side of her face to Raya's cheek. She felt like a giddy child.

" Raya, 'twas wonderful! 'Twas the most fun I've ever had in a long time! Thank ye!" She ran a hand over her powerful neck and cupped her nose, letting Raya preen under the complements and attention.

" Raya says thank you, and that she may just dump my unappreciative butt right here and now and take you instead." Galen laughed, dismounting as well and taking Maire away from Raya.

Maire blushed, and blew Raya a kiss as she made her way to the stables, and they started making their way to Galen's classes. Maire didn't bother to look at the Collegium at all, figuring that this would be one of her last times here. She could allow herself maybe a handful more times, but no more than that. She was already half besotted with Galen, but she couldn't allow it to go any further than that. It was bad manners to fall in love with a customer.

But she couldn't help but notice the students and teachers alike, how she was drawing their eyes and causing whispers. She wondered if Galen had told the whole lot of them who she was, but as longing appeared in the girls eyes instead of contempt, she figured otherwise. She knew she made a striking figure, she always did when she dressed up like this, and she didn't often have time to make much of it, so she took her chance now. She preened under the attention, smiling at everyone that she could, even telling them to have a good day. Before she got to the outside again, she was sure that her appearance was going to have caused a good ruckus indeed.

Galen caught up her hand and started pulling her, as if they weren't walking fast enough. He wasn't hurting her, just annoying her. She had short legs, and usually got around fine, but she wasn't up to matching her pace with taller people. Usually she was the one who set the pace and the taller people matched it.

" Galen, are ye really in such a hurry as to be pullin' me around like some kind of a prize summer hog?" Maire asked hotly, stopping suddenly when she saw the practice ring and the people already working inside it.

" Weaponsmaster Alberich-" Galen started, anxiety on his face.

" Does not like it when you are late." Finished a gravelly voice behind them, and Maire turned around on a point.

The man was tall, his face seamed with scars and his skin tanned and looked to be as hard as leather. Greying hair was slicked back into a short tail, and calm grey eyes looked down on her, his mouth set in a line that was nothing. Not approving, not disapproving. Just... nothing.

" Weaponsmaster Alberich, this is Maire-" Galen stopped, suddenly remembering that he didn't know Maire's last name, or if she even had one. He looked at her pleadingly for help.

Maire stuck out her hand, standing tall and proud as she could to a man that she had to crane her neck to look up at. She barely even came up to his shoulder, and Galen was a few inches taller than he!

" Amaire Lydon." She tried her best not to flinch as Alberich took her hand and gave it a firm shake. " I hope I am not interuppting Galen's classes in any way."

His eyebrows went up a slight notch, Maire could have sworn. " Galen knew he would not have been able to get back on time, and he went anyway. He knew the consequences of it, and now I shall see to administering them." He started walking towards the ring and entered it, as all the fighters stopped, acknowledging him respectfully and waiting for his words.

Galen sighed, kissed her softly on the cheek, and jogged over to join them. Someone handed him a practice sword, and he settled into the ranks comfortably. Maire almost had trouble sorting him out from the sea of grey Trainees. She settled herself on the fence, leaning up against it with her chin in her hand and her eyes on the students. This was going to be interesting.

" ... Remy hasn't been doing such a good job." Said a soft voice off to her right, that came louder as two people stepped up to the fence as well. " She's been getting weaker every month, and every time she seems to get better, it only lasts so long before she lapses back into it."

" We'll find something, Talia. Don't worry."

Maire didn't look, but she knew by the voices that the first speaker was female, the second being male. Finally she did look, and saw them. A short female, though taller than herself, with sleek brown hair and gleaming hazel eyes that seemed to dominate her face; she stood next to a man with thatchy looking blond hair and eyes as blue as a Companion. His eyes were what made him attractive, and his easy, laid back body language. He looked like he liked to laugh and be in the company of friends.

She looked back at the Trainees, who had apparently been given the order to pair up and start practicing drills. Alberich walked back over, going instead to the people instead of her.

" Amaire, this is Herald Talia and Herald Dirk, two of Galen's other teachers." Alberich motioned with his hand that she should come closer, and she did, half an armslength away from the woman. " Talia, Dirk, Amaire Lydon."

Maire shook hands with both of them, thier shakes being more welcoming and warm than Alberich's, but then again, the Devil's handshake might be more warm than Alberich's. " Just Maire, please. The only one who used my full name last was me mother, and she's been gone five years since."

Talia nodded, understanding in her eyes, and Maire didn't know why, but she wanted to trust and like Talia. It made her edgy right off.

Dirk looked at her closely, and then something must have come to his mind, because he suddenly grinned and laughed. " You're the girl that-"

Maire sighed. " Yes, I am the one who held Galen long enough for Raya to catch him."

" You should have let Raya spend a few more weeks looking for him, would have taken a great burden off our shoulders for a few days." Alberich growled, and Maire jumped as she realized he was making a joke of sorts. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

" Did Galen go spreading word about me all over the place?" Maire asked, now wondering how many of those appreciative looks had been because of her appearance and not reputation.

" I'm not sure." Talia said, leaning closer. " I know he told Dirk and Kris and myself, and Alberich as well. And Selenay, because she hears all the Trainees stories one way or another, and Galen had a doozy to tell."

" How did his go?" Maire asked, narrowing her eyes.

Dirk took over, hoisting himself to sit up on the fence post. He put his hands on his knees like storytellers of old. " Galen, the young strapping buck that he is, says that he was in the market looking for a new vest to wear at his cousins coming out ceremony. A vision of dark haired, cat eyed beauty waltzed into his veiw and told him not to choose the one he'd been looking at, instead a vibrant thing of green satin and skillful black embroidery. He was so entranced in her loveliness that he didn't notice the Companion sneak up on him. But his lady did, and alerted him most nobly to her."

Maire laughed. ' Most nobly' her ass. But Dirk wasn't done yet.

" He leapt atop his Companion, profusely apologizing to his lady, and sped off into the day. Thoughts of her kept haunting him, even through his arrival here and what trouble we put him through and the days that followed him. So he made the choice to traverse back into the hellish part of her town to rescue her and safely sweep her into his arms and bring her back here to cherish and love her like the angel she is."

Dirk leapt down from the post and bowed to Talia, to Maire, and to Alberich. Talia had a grin on her face, and Alberich had less of a frown. Maire snorted, very un-lady-like, but she didn't care.

" Angel that I am indeed. Who's been slipping poppy power into yer drinks, my rainbow tongued lord?" Maire asked, sitting on the fence post herself, crossing her legs and looking down at them.

" Galen was right, you've got the tongue of a snake." Dirk laughed, and Maire appreciated the compliment. If there was anything her mother had given her that had been good, it had been the ability to speak her mind without caring about what anyone else thought about it. It came in common, most times.

" Speaking of Galen," Talia spoke up. " Has he been treating you well?"

Maire looked away suddenly, trying to find Galen among the whirling dervishes that were the Trainees. " He's been treating me well enough. He doesn't beat me, 'sbeen favorable to me ever since we met." Which was all of three days ago, she reminded herself. " He didn't tell ye what I do for a living, did he?"

" He told us, no worry." Dirk said, looking at her sideways as if he hadn't wanted her to bring that up.

" And ye aren't throwing me out on me butt for being here?" She stared straight at them.

Talia shook her head. " Maire, everyone has to get their bread somehow. I could give you some long lecture about how you should be working at a tavern where there is a good clientile, but I've checked out Madame Louisa's, I've even done some custom jobs there for her. She's a good woman, and a smart businesswoman. She knows what she's doing and she loves all her girls like they were daughters and only has their best interests in mind for every one of them. Honestly, if you had been working somewhere else, I would have carted you off to her as soon as we were done here."

That made Maire smile. This must have been the woman that Darcie had seen when she had gotten attacked a few months ago. That must have been how Darcie had met Kris in the first place, because Kris had gone with Talia. She nodded.

" True ye are there, madame Herald." Maire nodded. " Truth be told, Galen isn't one of my customers. Got Chosen three days ago before I could lay a hand on him and tonight, after this, he'll be too tired to do anything but gulp down some food and pass out on his bed."

" As most of Alberich's students are wont to do after his classes." Talia and Dirk both laughed as Alberich ignored them steadily, and then walked over to a pair of students to correct them on something.

" 'Tis a wonderful place, this Collegium of yours." Maire sighed. " Wish I could be here more often."

" You can visit with Galen any time you want, when he's free to do so." Talia said. " We don't keep our students from having friends outside the Collegium."

" Even if Galen becomes one of my customers?" Maire asked, testing them.

Talia blushed. " As long as Galen spends his own money and doesn't allow it to impede on his classes and studies, then it's fine. I'd rather have him bedding you than some other girl in the place and causing heartbreak."

Maire knew that it was meant to be a compliment, but it stung a little. Of course, the street walkers wouldn't let themselves get involved with their men, but it was perfectly okay for the men to fall in love with them, because they had no emotional stock to take care of. In a twisted way, it was true. You never fell in love with one of your men, unless you were steadily prepared to marry him and quit the life.

" So how is Darcie doing?" Dirk asked suddenly, and Maire jumped.

" You know about Darcie?" Maire tried her best to look shocked, even though she had already figured out that part.

" We've known about Darcie and Kris from the start. She's a lovely little woman, and Kris is fair entranced with her. Says that her personality is like a knot, you finally get one thing untangled and she goes and turns up with five more." Dirk smiled. " He always did have a knack for figuring out complicated things."

" And Darcie's a few knots in one." Maire said. " But she's my best friend in the world. She'd never give me up or over to anyone if she thought it would cause me harm. Sometimes she knows it better'n I do."

" She's a clever girl, that she is." Talia said. " I haven't had to see her as much anymore. She's finally taking care of her life on her own."

" I figured you were the one who was coming in and putting her head back together." Maire nodded. " She used to talk about you a lot in the beginning, but now it's all Kris Kris Kris."

Then they were all silent, watching Alberich turn his students into the best warriors that they were capable of doing.

A/N: Oh oh oh oh! dances Thank you for all the shining and encouraging reviews! I don't think there's been a story I've had yet that people have liked this much! hugs you all Thank you so much! I will keep writing, because you are so nice to me.


	5. 5

**Sinful Promises**

**Disclaimer**: I own none of the stuff that Merecedes Lackey owns. But I do own Maire and Madame Louisa and the girls and the tavern... and other things that are to come later but would spoil the plotline!

**Chapter 5**

Maire helped Galen back to his room after that, as he had twisted his ankle and they'd just gotten out of the Healers Hall. He could walk on it, but Maire wanted to feel helpful, after the day he'd just given her. If he hadn't come for her today, then she would have already been through with her second guy and on her way downstairs to pick the third. Suddenly she wanted to stay, but she knew she couldn't.

" Shut the door, please." He asked as he sat down on his bed and started to draw off his boots, setting them down next to his bed. " Augh, I'm gonna be feeling those bruises for a few days, at least."

Maire nodded. " If you hadn't come and gotten me today, then you wouldn't have been late, and you wouldn't have gotten that extra lesson from Alberich."

" Maire, I wanted to come and get you. You've been on my mind ever since I say you." Galen stripped off his shirt and Maire nearly fell over.

She'd seen men with perfect bodies, larger than usual bodies, hairy, smooth, older ones, boys... But they'd never affected her like Galen's suddenly did. He wasn't perfect, his muscles weren't as defined as some of them had been, but a few more months of Alberich's lessons and he would be. He would turn into whipcord, be nothing but dark cinnamon skin stretched over limbs and taut muscles. She shivered to think of those days with him. He already moved like a cat, like he had muscles that normal humans didn't have; in a graceful way that made her want to see him dance.

" Galen, I should be going." She said, inching towards the door.

" Maire, you aren't going anywhere tonight. I told Madame Louisa that you were staying with me tonight." He looked up at her, resting his arms on his knees.

" Galen, I thought I told ye that ye couldn't afford me!" Maire said, throwing her arms up in the air in exasperation.

" Madame Louisa didn't make me pay." Galen told her. " She said that you needed a night away, and that I could give it to you."

" Take me back!" Maire turned on him. " Take me back now!"

He shook his head. " I am under orders from Madame Louisa herself to keep you here until tomorrow afternoon." He smiled apologetically. " I thought she had told you."

" She told me nothin' about this!" Maire said angrily. " The audacity of that woman!"

" I'm sorry, Maire, I truly thought she had told you, that was why you agreed to come." Galen stood and moved towards her, but she backed away.

" Galen, if ye make a move on me now, 'tis likely you'll be missing a body part or two." She threatened, and raised her hands.

She didn't quite know how to defend herself, but she'd been in enough back alley fights to know how to get the best of someone in the quickest of ways. Kick them in the groin, male or female, and then knee them in the head. And she didn't want to hurt Galen, not that badly.

" I'm going to take a bath, Maire. You're welcome to join me, if you want." He picked up a robe off his desk. " You mentioned being hungry, earlier. Should I have someone help you find the kitchens so you can get dinner with the rest of everyone?"

She nodded stiffly and Galen called a page to take her to the dinner hall. Maire searched the place for Talia, and supposing that she was taking dinner in her rooms, sat down at an empty table and started consuming the hearty bowl of soup that she had managed to grab from a tray that had passed her.

" Aren't you Galen's woman?" Someone asked, and Maire looked up from her soup to see three people in blue uniforms. Maire stared at them. Neither Galen nor Talia had said anything about a blue sector. She'd been told about the Heralds, the Healers, and the Bards, but nothing about any blue uniformed ones.

" No, I'm not Galen's woman." She said smartly. " I'm Galen's friend."

" I say you're Galen's woman." Said the meaty looking boy in the middle of them, as the other two were another boy, skinny this time, and a mousy looking girl who had a mean look in her brown eyes. " You came here with him, you watched him the whole time he was getting beat around by Weaponsmaster Alberich, and you helped him back to his room. You're his woman." He put his fists on his hips as if he had made a dubious point and he was the smartest man in the world.

" First off, I'm not Galen's woman. I belong to no man. Second of all, I'm betting ye do all those same things for ye're friends as well, ye know, carry them back to their rooms to patch up thier injuries, don't ye?" Maire thought it best if she kept this calm and safe, or at least, as calm as she could think of.

" Patch them up, sure, but I don't go around kissing their foreheads and cheeks while the Healers setting their ankles, and I sure don't let them grope my bum like a common whore." The girl shot, and Maire saw a hint of shrewd intelligence in this one. Too bad it had to be wasted on such a stupid cause.

She'd seen bullies before, and while these were the least levels of a bully, she hated dealing with any of them. This was going to get ugly, she could tell. She could feel it on them, the desire to get her in trouble, any trouble they could. She sqaured her shoulders and made her resolve. She wasn't going to provoke them or throw any punches first, but if they made a move on her, by damned she was going to finish it!

" I didn't let him grope me bum like a common whore." Maire purred, narrowing her grey-green eyes. " I let him grope my bum like a lover."

" Ha!" The boy let out. " So you are his woman."

" Get your ideals straight, boy." She growled. " I'm his love-interest, not his woman. I'll not be bound to any man so to be called anyone's woman."

" So if you aint his woman, then would you be up to being someone else's?" The meaty boy asked, and Maire sneered. She'd seen that coming a mile away.

" This is pointless and ye are crude, stupid, and obviously not worth the money that yer parents are pouring into whatever reason as to why you are here. I am leaving." She picked up her bowl of soup and started to walk away, keeping her eyes half on them, half on where she was going.

She'd used this manuever with would-be pickpockets and muggers. It worked every time, they could never resist the temptation. A smarter group would have walked away and bragged about it to their freinds. It was obvious that this bunch had a few pieces missing in the pies that were their brains. The girl came at her first, and she neatly sidestepped her, placing her bowl of soup on a table of brown suited students. Bardic trainees. Oh gods, she would kill if this was turned into a song.

The small boy went for her next, shoved by the bigger one. He looked like he didn't really want to be involved with this, and so she went easy on him. She whirled around and held her hands out. He was a few inches taller than she was, so her hands caught his shoulders and she swung her foot out and over, tripping him and sending him sprawling on the floor. She made it look like he had taken her down with him, but she leaned in and whispered in his ear.

" Stay out of this." She said feircely, keeping her eyes on the big boy. " T'would be wiser if ye went for help." And then she was up again, brushing off her tunic skirt.

Maire placed her hands on her hips, looking cooly at him. " Is that the best ye can send at me? A half grown girl and a boy not yet out of his mothers lap?"

" You're a bitch." He said, and ran at her.

Maire turned around, grabbed the girl by the shoulders, and turned around to face him again. She tossed the girl into him, so that they both tripped and took each other down. If they rose again, she was taking out her fists. " Disable twice, and if that doesn't stop them, put them down for good." Her father's words rang in her ears, and she nodded stiffly.

But sure enough, they rose again, and the girl had fire in her eyes. The girl had weaponstraining, that she could see in her loose stance, but the boy depended on his bulk to get him by in fights. Maire knew the plan. The girl would rush her, get behind her and hold her arms while the boy beat her about the stomach and head and chest. And probably cop a feel as well. It made her shudder.

But she wasn't the only one with the tricks up her sleeve.

She let the girl rush her, to get behind her. Sure enough she grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her and the boy started moving in. Once he raised his fists, people started calling for help as she had planned. But that didn't stop him, and she had been counting on that as well. He got close enough, and she stooped low to the ground, balancing on her heels. It threw her girl over her head, and into the boy. She stood, quickly, and threw her bowl of soup at the boy, making sure it spun in a nice arc to hit them both squarely in the faces so they were momentarily blinded. Running up to them, she slammed the palms of her hands into their stomachs, knocking the wind out of them and setting them on thier butts.

The girl had managed to wipe the stew off her face, and started to get up, but a deep voice growled from behind Maire. " I wouldn't do that if I were you, Tauura."

Maire looked behind her to see the Bardic trainees had gotten up from their table. Three boys and a girl. She wondered if there was a lack of females here. They stood behind her, and the girl laid a hand on her arm, looking her over to see if she was okay.

" This should be a Healer looking over you, but they finished dinner an hour ago. It's just us, the Blues, and the Heralds." She said, anger springing up in her clear green eyes. " That was smart of you, telling Rhondi to go and get help."

" Thanks." Maire said. " I tried t' do what I could t' stop a confrontation, but they just didn't seem t' want t' leave me be."

" They're always like that. Always picking on us because we've got a calling in life and they have to work for everything." Said the tall boy that had growled at the Blues. " Well, I'd rather work for what they've got instead of plucking lute strings all day until my fingers bleed and my throat is sung raw."

Maire knew he wasn't completely lying, because often things seemed better than what you had, but she knew he was safe in his calling or else he wouldn't have been there at all.

" Heralds are coming." The girl said. " Look a little less strong, would you?"

Maire shook her head. " I'm not hurt at all. There's nothin' to gain here with lying."

" Suit yourself." The girl dropped her arm and just stood there, waiting for the Heralds to get there.

It was Talia, Alberich and one she hadn't seen before. A tall woman with blond hair done in a tail and looking regal in her Whites. She had soft blue eyes, and a set mouth. She made Maire feel small, even smaller than she usually felt.

" Maire, are you alright?" Talia asked as soon as she saw her, looking her over, and then looking at the two Blues who were sitting on the floor with their stew smeared faces.

" Fine enough." Maire bit off. " Seems this boyo here took it into his head that since I hadn't been labeled as Galen's woman, he was goin' t' try and convince me that it would be lovely fun to be his. He got rough when I tried t' leave his company, threw his friend at me a few times, even."

" Is this true?" Alberich asked quietly.

" I didn't mean nothing by it, honestly!" The boy squabbled, but Alberich shut him up with a roar.

" It's true, Herald Alberich." Said the tall boy to her side, and he bowed to the woman as did the rest of his group. " Casi and us, we watched it happen."

" Woulda gotten worse if ye had'nna stood up for me." Maire smiled at Casi, but was ignored.

" Rhondi says that you let him go, told him to go for help?" Asked the blond woman.

" Aye, madame Herald." Maire nodded. " He dinna want to fight, I could see it in his eyes. I gave him the easy way out, told him t' go for help. He dinna have to, but he did. Keep him out of this mess, if you will."

" That I will." She said. " But Maire, if you'll come with us."

Talia took Maire's arm, and suddenly Maire didn't feel so good anymore. She knew what it was. The fight in her was wearing off, leaving her tired and feeling slouchish. She was glad that she had Talia's arm supporting her, or else she'd have started limping, or missed a step and fallen. But she didn't, she managed to stay on her feet until she was out of the hall and halfway to wherever it was that they were going. Alberich had stayed behind a while to clean things up and mete out the proper punishments, promising that he would be joining them later.

" Here, sit." Talia led her into a set of offices of sorts, presenting her to a chair that she gratefully sank into.

There was a steaming pot of tea already on the desk, and Maire hoped that she hadn't interuppted anything. The blond woman poured her a cup and sweetened it with honey, then set it in her shaking hands. " Drink up." She said softly, and Maire nodded, taking a large first gulp to settle her nerves.

" Am I in trouble?" She asked as Talia and the woman sat down. " I mean, I'm just a visitor here, I shouldn't have done what I did."

" You had every right to do what you did." Talia said, sitting forward in her chair, leaning her arms on the desk. " The Blues have a history of teasing and bullying the other students, no matter what sect they are from. The Heralds get it the worst, though, and I apologize for what you had to go through tonight. You kept your head in a great way."

" I shall have to have a talk with thier Headmaster tomorrow, or tonight, if things permit it." The blond woman sighed.

" Yeah, and you might as well tell the Queen that her students are getting out of hand for some of the stupidest reasons on the face of this earth." Maire said, sipping her tea now, as it was strong chamomile.

The blond woman smiled. " You just did, dear."

Maire set her cup down in front of her on the desk. " Your Highness." She inclined her head.

" I'd act all shocked and get on me knees and beg forgiveness for the upheaval, but I just don't have the energy for it right now."

" Please, call me Selenay." She laughed, her blue eyes shining. " And I accept your apology, though really it should be me apologizing."

" Should be Galen, really." Maire said. " He's the one who sent me to the dining hall instead of just asking for some food to be brought to his room."

" Speaking of Galen, where is he?" Talia asked.

" Right here." Alberich said from the doorway, holding Galen's arm.

He was still half dressed from the bath, his hair dripping down his back and front.

" Ye are a very bad paramour, ye know that?" Maire said, watching Alberich pull him around to the front and seat him at the desk. " Ye steal me from me workplace, show me one of the best rides I've ever been on, and then leave me t' fend for myself during yer lesson. Then afterwards, ye tell me I can't go back to work because ye snuck behind my back and got me a night off, then abandon me to a dining hall where I get assualted because some idiot boy thinks I'm 'yer woman'!"

Galen cringed. " I'm sorry, Maire. I really am. I didn't know you'd have this much trouble."

" I told ye that ye were crazy for bringing a whore t' the Collegium." Maire pouted, sitting back in her chair and cradling the tea like it would make everything better if she just drank it.

It seemed no one could answer that, as there was a very pliable silence where Maire finished her tea and then poured herself some more.

" Maire?" Selenay asked into the silence. " If you want to, we can arrange for someone to take you back."

Maire shook her head. " By the time ye did, the night would be half ruined anyway. It'd be best to just put me in a room of my own and leave me there until morning."

" You can room with me and Dirk." Talia offered, and Maire took her up on that.

Not but half a mark later, she was snuggled in the largest bed she'd ever been in, surrounded by two people she'd never shared a bed with.

" Finally, the odds are in my favor." Dirk joked and Maire looked at Talia blankly.

" Sometimes Kris comes in and beds with us, when he's feeling lonely, or cold, or hungry... I never got why he was hungry and sleeping in our room with us." She explained, reaching up and opening the latch on the window to swing the shutters open so a beam of moonlight came into the room.

" Darcie comes and sleeps in me room all the time. 'Tis just a friend thing, something for comfort, I suppose." Maire said, scratching at her nose with her sleeve, one of Talia's borrowed shifts. She had on her black pants, as they often turned out to be her sleeping pants. Her tunic and undershirt lay on the desk, her boots by the door.

" We'll have breakfast in the morning, together?" Dirk asked.

" If we have time for it, then it should be fine." Talia said. " Maire?"

" As long as I don't have to see Galen, I'll be fine with it." Maire snuggled down into the pillows some more, laying on her stomach and clutching the pillow under her head for a firmer place to put it.

No one said anything after that, but they didn't have to anymore, as they were so tired.

A/N: Blessed Saints, that was a long one. I wrote it all in one sitting, starting at two in the morning... I should get some sleep... I really should. But I just found my Soul Aslyum cd and I want to listen to it. And I know you guys wouldn't mind if I cranked out another chapter while I listen to it.


	6. 6

**Sinful Promises**

**Disclaimer**: I own none of the stuff that Merecedes Lackey owns. But I do own Maire and Madame Louisa and the girls and the tavern... and other things that are to come later but would spoil the plotline!

**Chapter 6**

Maire slept restlessly, she knew that. She woke up at least two different times that she knew of. Once because something made a noise outside and it woke her up. She had looked over and seen that Talia's back was to her, but Dirk had thrown his arm over her waist and was hugging her to him. Then she'd woken up again because of early dawn birds singing outside the window. Talia had somehow wrested her away from Dirk and held her like a small child, resting her cheek on the top of her head. She smiled to herself, and wondered if they were going to remember using her as a sleeping toy in the morning when they woke up.

She finally woke up the final time to the door opening, and she saw Dirk leave the room. Talia was standing at the desk, getting dressed.

" Huh?" Maire mumbled, not exactly the most articulate person in the mornings.

" He's going for a bath, hon." Talia explained softly, and Maire nodded.

" Bath sounds good." She tried to clear her throat of whatever morning gunk was in it, but she couldn't.

Talia handed her a robe and showed her where the bathing rooms were, following her. Maire filled the tub as full and hot as it would go, submerging herself in it up to her chin, looking lazily out over the water's surface.

" Did we disturb you last night?" Talia asked, soaping up her hair.

Maire shook her head. " Not at all. It was nice, actually. Been a long time since I've had anyone spend a night with me that was so pleasant."

" I'm glad you enjoyed it." Talia smiled. " Dirk was a little perturbed. For all his joking and jibes, he's really a softy down in his heart, and it scared him a little, I think, when I told him how old you really are."

' Almost freshly turned seventeen summers, aye.' Maire thought to herself.

" People don't like to be reminded of how old I am, especially after they find out what I do. They see their sisters, daughters, wives. It sets them on edge."

Talia nodded. " Wash up quickly, muzzy head. Breakfast is in an hour."

Maire grumbled something that even she didn't understand, and slipped her head under the water.

" Maire?" Talia asked, after breakfast.

" Aye?"

" I have to go to the Companions Feild for a moment, to check on one of my charges. Would you mind coming with me?"

" Sure, I'm not minding that, I love Companions." Maire felt excited now. The only Companion she'd been anywhere close to had been Raya. Now she was going to get to see all of them, just about.

" So what's wrong?" Maire asked as they headed out to the Feild.

" Remy, one of the older mares." Talia let them into the Feild. " She got sick all of a sudden, a six month ago. She's been weak, listless, almost as if she had a kind of human depression. Roland told Dirk's Ahrodie that she was supposed to go out and find her Chosen around when she got sick, so that's accounting for some of her troubles, but there's something wrong with her that I just can't figure out."


End file.
